Nkosinathi Emmanuel “Nathi” Mthethwa, South Africa’s ambassador to France, was found dead outside the Hyatt Regency Paris Étoile on the morning of September 30, 2025, French authorities said, after his wife reported him missing the previous evening.
According to the Paris prosecutor’s office, Mthethwa — 58 — had been staying in a room on the 22nd floor of the hotel. His wife alerted police on September 29 after receiving a message in which he apologised and said he intended to end his life; a suicide note was reportedly found. Investigators say the window’s safety mechanism in the room had been forced open and scissors were found at the scene; there were no immediate signs of a struggle or traces of medication or narcotics. The body was discovered in the hotel’s inner courtyard by a security guard. French judicial police have opened an investigation.
South African government officials expressed shock and sorrow. President Cyril Ramaphosa and the Department of International Relations and Cooperation offered condolences and said they were in touch with French authorities as the circumstances were being examined. The government statement said Mthethwa had served South Africa in multiple roles and that his passing was a moment of deep grief.
Mthethwa was a veteran politician who held senior cabinet posts in South Africa, including as minister responsible for policing and later for sports, arts and culture; he had been posted to Paris in February 2024 and also served as South Africa’s permanent delegate to UNESCO. His long career included praise for diplomatic outreach as well as controversy from his earlier years in government.
French investigators from the Brigade for the Suppression of Crimes Against Persons and the Paris prosecutor’s office are handling the inquiry; authorities said forensic examinations and witness inquiries are under way to establish the full circumstances of his death. South African officials said they will provide further information once more details are available.
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